THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

________________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release May 1, 2011

REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT

ON OSAMA BIN LADEN

East Room

11:35 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT: Good evening. Tonight, I can report to the

American people and to the world that the United States has
conducted an operation that killed Osama bin Laden, the leader
of al Qaeda, and a terrorist who’s responsible for the murder of
thousands of innocent men, women, and children.

It was nearly 10 years ago that a bright September day was

darkened by the worst attack on the American people in our
history. The images of 9/11 are seared into our national memory
-- hijacked planes cutting through a cloudless September sky;
the Twin Towers collapsing to the ground; black smoke billowing
up from the Pentagon; the wreckage of Flight 93 in Shanksville,
Pennsylvania, where the actions of heroic citizens saved even
more heartbreak and destruction.

And yet we know that the worst images are those that were
unseen to the world. The empty seat at the dinner table.
Children who were forced to grow up without their mother or
their father. Parents who would never know the feeling of their
child’s embrace. Nearly 3,000 citizens taken from us, leaving a
gaping hole in our hearts.

On September 11, 2001, in our time of grief, the American

people came together. We offered our neighbors a hand, and we
offered the wounded our blood. We reaffirmed our ties to each
other, and our love of community and country. On that day, no
matter where we came from, what God we prayed to, or what race
or ethnicity we were, we were united as one American family.

We were also united in our resolve to protect our nation

and to bring those who committed this vicious attack to
justice. We quickly learned that the 9/11 attacks were carried
out by al Qaeda -- an organization headed by Osama bin Laden,
which had openly declared war on the United States and was
committed to killing innocents in our country and around the
globe. And so we went to war against al Qaeda to protect our
citizens, our friends, and our allies.

Over the last 10 years, thanks to the tireless and heroic

work of our military and our counterterrorism professionals,
we’ve made great strides in that effort. We’ve disrupted
terrorist attacks and strengthened our homeland defense. In
Afghanistan, we removed the Taliban government, which had given
bin Laden and al Qaeda safe haven and support. And around the
globe, we worked with our friends and allies to capture or kill
scores of al Qaeda terrorists, including several who were a part
of the 9/11 plot.

Yet Osama bin Laden avoided capture and escaped across the
Afghan border into Pakistan. Meanwhile, al Qaeda continued to
operate from along that border and operate through its
affiliates across the world.

And so shortly after taking office, I directed Leon

Panetta, the director of the CIA, to make the killing or capture
of bin Laden the top priority of our war against al Qaeda, even
as we continued our broader efforts to disrupt, dismantle, and
defeat his network.

Then, last August, after years of painstaking work by our

intelligence community, I was briefed on a possible lead to bin
Laden. It was far from certain, and it took many months to run
this thread to ground. I met repeatedly with my national
security team as we developed more information about the
possibility that we had located bin Laden hiding within a
compound deep inside of Pakistan. And finally, last week, I
determined that we had enough intelligence to take action, and
authorized an operation to get Osama bin Laden and bring him to
justice.

Today, at my direction, the United States launched a

targeted operation against that compound in Abbottabad,
Pakistan. A small team of Americans carried out the operation
with extraordinary courage and capability. No Americans were
harmed. They took care to avoid civilian casualties. After a
firefight, they killed Osama bin Laden and took custody of his
body.

For over two decades, bin Laden has been al Qaeda’s leader
and symbol, and has continued to plot attacks against our
country and our friends and allies. The death of bin Laden
marks the most significant achievement to date in our nation’s
effort to defeat al Qaeda.

Yet his death does not mark the end of our effort. There’s
no doubt that al Qaeda will continue to pursue attacks against
us. We must –- and we will -- remain vigilant at home and
abroad.

As we do, we must also reaffirm that the United States is

not –- and never will be -– at war with Islam. I’ve made clear,
just as President Bush did shortly after 9/11, that our war is
not against Islam. Bin Laden was not a Muslim leader; he was a
mass murderer of Muslims. Indeed, al Qaeda has slaughtered
scores of Muslims in many countries, including our own. So his
demise should be welcomed by all who believe in peace and human
dignity.

Over the years, I’ve repeatedly made clear that we would

take action within Pakistan if we knew where bin Laden was.
That is what we’ve done. But it’s important to note that our
counterterrorism cooperation with Pakistan helped lead us to bin
Laden and the compound where he was hiding. Indeed, bin Laden
had declared war against Pakistan as well, and ordered attacks
against the Pakistani people.

Tonight, I called President Zardari, and my team has also

spoken with their Pakistani counterparts. They agree that this
is a good and historic day for both of our nations. And going
forward, it is essential that Pakistan continue to join us in
the fight against al Qaeda and its affiliates.

The American people did not choose this fight. It came to

our shores, and started with the senseless slaughter of our
citizens. After nearly 10 years of service, struggle, and
sacrifice, we know well the costs of war. These efforts weigh
on me every time I, as Commander-in-Chief, have to sign a letter
to a family that has lost a loved one, or look into the eyes of
a service member who’s been gravely wounded.

So Americans understand the costs of war. Yet as a

country, we will never tolerate our security being threatened,
nor stand idly by when our people have been killed. We will be
relentless in defense of our citizens and our friends and
allies. We will be true to the values that make us who we are.
And on nights like this one, we can say to those families who
have lost loved ones to al Qaeda’s terror: Justice has been
done.
 Tonight, we give thanks to the countless intelligence and
counterterrorism professionals who’ve worked tirelessly to
achieve this outcome. The American people do not see their
work, nor know their names. But tonight, they feel the
satisfaction of their work and the result of their pursuit of
justice.

We give thanks for the men who carried out this operation,
for they exemplify the professionalism, patriotism, and
unparalleled courage of those who serve our country. And they
are part of a generation that has borne the heaviest share of
the burden since that September day.

Finally, let me say to the families who lost loved ones on

9/11 that we have never forgotten your loss, nor wavered in our
commitment to see that we do whatever it takes to prevent
another attack on our shores.

And tonight, let us think back to the sense of unity that

prevailed on 9/11. I know that it has, at times, frayed. Yet
today’s achievement is a testament to the greatness of our
country and the determination of the American people.

The cause of securing our country is not complete. But

tonight, we are once again reminded that America can do whatever
we set our mind to. That is the story of our history, whether
it’s the pursuit of prosperity for our people, or the struggle
for equality for all our citizens; our commitment to stand up
for our values abroad, and our sacrifices to make the world a
safer place.

Let us remember that we can do these things not just

because of wealth or power, but because of who we are: one
nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for
all.

Thank you. May God bless you. And may God bless the
United States of America.

END 11:44 P.M. EDT